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Aviation technicians to be in high demand; average wage $23 an hour

Posted: 3:15 PM, Sep 06, 2018

Updated:2018-09-06 22:19:32Z

By:
Annie Taylor

Over the next two decades, 754,000 aircraft technician positions are expected to be open according to Boeing. In the next five years, nearly 30 percent of aviation maintenance technicians in the United States are eligible to retire.

Jason Reed, an AMT instructor at Spartan College of Aviation & Technology, says an aviation maintenance technician is and will be a highly sought-after position by airline companies.

The FAA curriculum at Spartan College gives students a hands on experience, preparing them for an aviation career outside the classroom.

"We cover the whole broad spectrum of how the whole aircraft operates, how to maintain it legally and properly," says Reed of the class.

The program is short, but the tuition is high for some. Spartan's course is $41,000.

"It's 18 months, and then you can go out into the field and start making great pay," Reed says.

The average pay is about $23 an hour, and those with a lot of experience can make over $30 an hour. That's a lot compared to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

Diane Sellers will be graduating in five months from Spartan College and can't wait to get her career off the ground. Like many students, college wasn't for Sellers.

"After high school, I went to a traditional college and that didn't work out and then I tried community college and that didn't work, and then my mom saw an ad on TV and I took a tour and knew this is where I want to be," says Sellers.

The class before her had an 85 percent placement rate. Sellers says unlike some of her family members, she's not worried about landing a job after college.

If you have any interest at all in becoming an aviation maintenance technician, all you need is a high school diploma or a GED.

To learn more information about Spartans College of Aviation & Technology, you can join their Aviation Day in Colorado on Sept. 28. The event is for employers, military, K-12 students, and the general public learn more about aviation careers.